Consultancy Assignment Title To Develop Health System Norms and Standards. Extension

Job Description Concern Worldwide mission is to improve the living standard of people who cannot meet their basic needs by strengthening their capacity to meet those needs and responding to emergency situations. Every Concern staff member has an important role to play in ensuring that this mission is achieved and every employee should be clear about how their own contribution can help the wider organisation achieve its objective. Concern Worldwide has been operational in Sierra Leone since 1996. Concern currently operates in the Districts of Western Area Urban (Freetown), Western Area Rural, Tonkolili, Port Loko, Kambia, Karene and remotely in a number of other Districts..

Expérience

On this note, Concern would like to invite well experienced and professional applicants for the under mentioned role: Consultancy Assignment Title To Develop Health System Norms and Standards Reporting and Coordination

Formation / Diplômes

The consultant will report to the Directorate of Policy planning and Information, Ministry of Health, and work closely with relevant technical directorates and partners. Duration: The consultancy will be conducted over a period of Four (4) weeks (subjected to extension) Consultancy Background Purpose: Justification of the norms and standards Rationale Progress toward achieving universal health coverage in Sierra Leone demands an inclusive, people-centered approach that emphasizes service quality, integrated interventions, and affordable access to care. Since the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Sierra Leone, alongside development partners, has made notable progress in improving public health outcomes. A key milestone is the significant reduction in the maternal mortality ratio—from 717 to 354 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2019 and 2023, marking a 79% decline (WHO, 2023 1 ). Despite these achievements, the health system continues to face persistent challenges in service delivery, quality assurance, infrastructure development, workforce capacity, and regulatory oversight. There is broad consensus among stakeholders on the need for increased domestic investment in health through sustainable financing mechanisms to reduce reliance on international partners. Gender equity and human rights have been strategically prioritized, particularly within Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) indicators, underscoring the government’s commitment to inclusive health service access.

Autres informations

Primary Health Care (PHC) is widely regarded as the foundation of an effective health system and plays a pivotal role in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) (WHO, 2023) as well as the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the Declaration of Astana (2018) (WHO, 2018), PHC must be comprehensive, equitable, accessible, and community-driven to address the diverse health needs of populations worldwide (Jungo et al., 2020; The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2018; Walraven, 2019). Aligned with this vision, many countries including Sierra Leone, strive to ensure that PHC services are responsive to a range of health challenges, including maternal and child health, chronic diseases, and emerging threats such as pandemics. The Government of Sierra Leone has developed and adopted several national policy and planning frameworks, including the National Health and Sanitation Policy (2021–2030), the National Health Sector Strategic Plan (2021–2025), the National Quality of Care (QoC) Policy, and the RMNCAH Strategic Roadmap. These strategies aim to guide and enhance health service delivery and outcomes (WHO, 2023 1 ). The Second National Health Sector Strategic Plan (NHSSP 2021–2025) provides the strategic vision for advancing health within the context of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Roadmap. It marks a paradigm shift from a focus on illness management to health promotion. A sector-wide approach is central to this plan, aiming to harmonize partner contributions for improved coordination and impact. A key feature of the strategy is the Sierra Leone Essential Health Services Package for UHC (SL-EHSP-UHC), which outlines a comprehensive suite of integrated services accessible to all citizens. Delivering this package effectively requires the optimal alignment of inputs—human resources, infrastructure, and essential commodities. To support implementation SL-EHSP-UHC , norms and standards will be established to guide the efficient, effective, and sustainable delivery of health services. These include clear expectations for service provision at each level of care, along with the required human resources and input quantities to meet these standards. WHO Sierra Leone Country Cooperation Strategy 2022–2025. https: Objectives Scope of Work General Objectives To develop standardized norms and standards for key components of the health system to support equitable, quality, and efficient health service delivery. Specific Objectives Review existing national policies, strategies, and regulatory frameworks relevant to health system standards Develop norms and standards for health infrastructure across levels of care Define standards for human resources for health, including staffing norms and skill mix Establish standards for medical equipment, medicines, and health commodities Develop standards for laboratory and diagnostic services

Develop the health system norms and standards in a format and structure similar to the Sierra Leone Essential Health Services Package (SL-EHSP-UHC), clearly defining the expected services, inputs, staffing, infrastructure, equipment, commodities, and service delivery requirements at each level of care. Ensure alignment with national priorities, WHO guidelines, and international best practices The consultant will undertake the following tasks: Conduct a desk review of relevant national and international standards and guidelines Assess existing gaps and inconsistencies in current health system norms and standards Develop draft health system norms and standards, structured in a format similar to the Sierra Leone Essential Health Services Package (SL-EHSP-UHC), covering, but not limited to: Health infrastructure (facility design, space requirements, utilities) Human resources for health (staffing ratios, competencies, deployment norms) Medical equipment and medical supplies Medicines and essential health commodities Laboratory and diagnostic services Tiers of PHC services to achieve UHC, including referral pathways Ensure that the norms and standards clearly define the minimum requirements and service delivery expectations at each level of care, in alignment with the SL-EHSP-UHC Facilitate stakeholder consultations and validation workshops Revise and finalize the norms and standards based on stakeholder feedback Produce an implementation and dissemination framework for the standards Person specification: Required Qualifications and Experience Advanced degree in Public Health, Health Systems Management, Health Policy, or related field At least 7–10 years of experience in health systems strengthening or standards development Proven experience in developing health regulatory frameworks Strong knowledge of WHO health system building blocks Experience working with Ministries of Health and development partners

Excellent analytical, facilitation, and report-writing skills Competencies Strong policy analysis and technical writing skills Stakeholder engagement and consensus-building ability Ability to work independently and meet deadlines Familiarity with low- and middle-income country health systems Payments will be linked to satisfactory completion of agreed deliverables, as follows: 20% upon approval of inception report 40% upon submission of draft standards 40% upon submission of final approved documents The consultant shall adhere to confidentiality, ethical standards, and national regulations throughout the assignment Emergency Response

Localisation

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and Sierra Leone Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization. Partnership and Localisation Actively contribute to Concern’s commitment to localization and equitable partnerships, through for example supporting the identification of partners, supporting management and accompaniment of partners, participating in capacity sharing initiatives, and other initiatives as required. Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.

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